From Time to Time
by FaerieTales4ever
Summary: Elphaba doesn't want to leave Oz if it means losing the only true friend she's ever had, but revealing herself would only end in death- for everyone. As years pass, she can no longer hold the burden of her secret… But how to let Glinda know without plunging her old home into chaos? COMPLETE!
1. Weakness at the Window

**A/N: This will be a relatively short four parter. Hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked**

 **1  
Weakness at the Window **

The minute Glinda's carriage screeched to a halt outside as my broom handle dipped toward the turrets of the Emerald Palace, I knew I was in trouble. I shouldn't be here. Fiyero was probably halfway across Oz by now, and I promised him I wouldn't be more than an hour behind.

It had been a little over twelve hours since my boyfriend had come to liberate me from the web of tunnels beneath Kiamo Ko castle. Twelve hours since I'd faked my death. Twelve hours since Glin and I had said our last goodbyes before the Gale Force came for me. Twelve hours since I'd succumbed to the ridiculous rumors that _water,_ of all things, was the weapon destined to kill the treacherous Wicked Witch of the West.

I snorted, still not of the mental stability to really reconcile with all that had happened since Fiyero and I had concocted our desperate plan. I knew the citizens of Oz were a simple-minded breed, but in all honesty, I never truly expected them to believe the fantastical charade.

But they had. Glinda came through for me, one last time. She had done what I thought impossible, and convinced them that the threat of the "Wickedest Witch There Ever Was" had ceased once and for all. I was dead to them. No longer an abominable green girl, or a wanted fugitive, or even an outcast with insurmountable magic abilities. Instead, I was a ghost. A distant memory of trying times that would soon fade to nothing more than urban legend. Watching her up there, holding that book and surveying everyone with such a kind, gracious smile, I knew she would be the best ruler Oz had seen in ages.

Shortly before her speech in the square, I caught a glimpse of the Wizard's infamous balloon as it floated away, disappearing into the crystal blue sky without so much as a trace left behind. I had been right all along. It wasn't me who was unlimited, it was Glinda. I wasn't sure what had conspired in my time beneath the castle, but I was certain I was leaving Oz in incredibly capable hands.

And yet…

I sighed, unable to rid myself of the distinct emptiness gnawing at my stomach. Fiyero said we could never be safe here, and in my heart of hearts I knew, devastating as the thought of leaving the only home I'd ever known was to me, that he was right. Still, something kept me tied to this place. I couldn't bare to leave by old life behind, not now.

Against my better judgement, my broom swooped closer to the ground, and ducked behind one of the gleaming jade columns flanking the entrance to the palace.

 _Damnit._ I clutched it with all my strength in an attempt to ascend, but the blasted thing wouldn't budge. I pressed my lips together and swallowed another curse as the driver dismounted his horse and rounded the vehicle until his hand rested on the crystal knob of the back door- Glinda's seat.

I yanked the splintered wood upward, but still, it didn't move. Ever since I'd enchanted it that day in the attic, the stupid broom and it's magic were tied to my emotions. It knew what I wanted- sometimes before I did- and it always, _always_ guided me toward it. Ozdamn it all and much as I tried to tell myself otherwise, right now, I wanted to see Glinda.

The hinges creaked as the jewel-encrusted door inched open. Even though I'd seen her just hours ago, hovering over the Emerald Square in her trademark bubble, I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from gasping as she stepped into the sunlight. With her golden hair styled in perfect ringlets, a diamond crown resting just atop her head, the overdone elegance of her periwinkle bubble skirt adorned with thousands of Gillikin crystals billowing out from her waist, no one could deny she looked like a queen.

"Thank you, Jerome." Her soft voice floated past me as the driver helped her to the pavement.

"My pleasure, Your Goodness," he replied with a tip of his hat.

Glinda smiled, her posture tall and unfaltering as she started toward the palace. Only as she came closer to the building's glimmering walls could I see the small cracks behind her chipper demeanor. The slight flush and faint tear lines tainting her painted rosy cheeks. The slump of her shoulders as the last echo of the horse's hooves faded down the path. The wobble of her lip as she entered the doors before they were closed behind her with a sharp bang.

My heart ached as she vanished from my sight. I wanted nothing more than to comfort her. To barge inside the castle and blindly reveal the truth. I knew it would be senseless, but I had little care for my own safety if it meant maintaining my bond with the only friend I'd ever had.

 _But it isn't just about you anymore._

 _Damn my rational mind!_ Of course, it was right. There was Fiyero to consider. If one of the palace officials saw me, I might be able to outrun them, and I doubted they would tell given the untimely departure of the Wizard. The last thing they needed was another scandal on their hands. Even if I could lose them though, where would I go? I'd have to follow Fiyero sooner or later, and if rumor of my existence spread and escalated enough, they'd come after _him_ too. Oz would be plunged into chaos- again- and we'd be right back where we started.

Still, all the rational reasons in the world didn't stop the tug at my chest from growing stronger and stronger with each passing minute as I sat in that vacant palace courtyard.

I wanted to put off following my boyfriend for as long as possible. Giving in would mean the end of this life forever. The end of running, yes. But also the end of everything that made me who I was. The end of any connection I had to my mother and Nessa besides my memories. True that I hadn't been back to Cowell Grounds since Nessa's death, but I'd always hoped that one day, I'd find the courage to return. For old times sake, if nothing else.

The end of wondering around the gardens of Kiamo Ko late at night, both because the dark had always been more magical to me than the daylight, and also because it was the only time I felt safe enough to venture outside the castle walls without the danger of being spotted. The end of fighting for the Animals. For Doctor Dillamond and Chistery and all those who had no voice to speak for them except my own. The real, final, inevitable end of my friendship with Glinda, one of the only two people of whom thinking kept me sane when it would've been so much simpler to descend into madness. Leaving wouldn't merely be the start of a new life, but the death of an old one as well. Giving in, sooner or later, would mean the end of Elphaba Thropp.

Well, I wasn't ready to lose her just yet.

Before I could contemplate any longer, my broom jerked upward, pulling me toward one of the lower arched windows on the main floor of the palace. I came to a halt between a looming oak tree and the sparkling stone. The broom hovered in the air, tugging me just close enough so I could peer through the green-tinted glass. A dim lantern cast a low glow on two shadowy figures, opposite each other in the ornate living area.

One sat in a plush chair. Her knees were drawn to her chest and her head buried in her hands, face hidden by bouncy curls, now coming undone since she was no longer in the public eye. Glinda.

The other figure's footsteps clanked along the floor as he came around the chair to lay a gleaming metal hand on her shoulder. I did a double take when I recognized his contours.

"Can I do anything else for you, Your Goodness? His soft plea floated through the glass and made my ears prick.

Glinda looked up, her face worn, eyes red-rimmed and glistening. "No, Boq. I just want to be alone. And I told you, there's no need for formalities here. Call me Glinda."

"As you wish, Your- Glinda." A sad smile quirked one side of his lips as he backed out of the room, but at the last second, he turned on his heel and strode over to squeeze Glinda's hand.

I watched the scene with a lump in my throat, partially happy that Glinda at least had someone to comfort her when she needed it, and partially furious with myself that she needed comfort at all. Yet another person to add to my generous supply of those I've caused pain. Would this cycle never end?

"She would've been proud of you, you know," the munchkin said quietly. "Oz couldn't have a better ruler." My heart melted a bit at those words. He was right. I _was_ proud of her. I only wished I could tell her so myself.

Glinda simply sniffed and shook her head. "Yes they could," she whimpered. "It should be Elphie who's doing all this, not me. I don't deserve any of what I've gotten. I did what I did because I was a coward. _She_ was the real hero, and they burned her at the stake for it."

I grimaced at the self-loathing and grief lacing her words. _Oh, my sweet. You weren't a coward. I was merely far too reckless. Some of us, it seems, were never meant to be anything but commotions._

"You're a born ruler, Glinda; I know you'll make her proud."

"I hope so, I really do. I only wish I didn't have to condone all of those horrible things people say about her! She was my best friend for Oz's sake, not some cold-blooded criminal! A pause. She met Boq's eyes, pleading with her own crystal blue. "You believe me, don't you? You knew her at Shiz. She would never have cast that spell on you if it weren't for good reason."

I held my breath as I waited for his answer. Though it wasn't the worst thing I'd done, I deeply regretted being the source of the fight that had resulted in one of my only friends losing his heart. I wished there had been another way to save him, but I was desperate, and once again, didn't consider the consequences for my actions.

The munchkin shook his head and grinned warily. "I believe you, Glinda. My memories of that day might be fuzzy, but I know- knew- Elphaba. She wouldn't have used magic on me unless it was the only option left."

I exhaled, and my heart palpitated a little harder in my chest. He didn't hate me for what I'd done to him? How was that possible?

"I only wish I hadn't been so quick to blame her. I was just… so _miserable_. By the time Elphaba arrived, it had been seven years since I'd ventured off the grounds of the governor's mansion."

"I cringed, barely refraining from gasping out loud. The memory of Nessa still pained me, and I only wished I could've done more for her. Wished that something, _anything,_ I did would've been enough to make her proud.

"Elphaba finally gave Nessa the one thing she'd always longed for. I… I'd like to believe for those few seconds, she truly was happy to have her as her sister." My heart swelled again; I hoped more than anything that Boq was right.

He pursed his lips and continued, a wistful look clouding his dark eyes. "But when I told her I didn't love her… I never dreamed Nessa cared for me the way she did, that it would drive her to try magic. But I don't blame Elphaba for saving me." He gave a dry chuckle and offered the first genuine smile I'd seen. "In fact, if she were here, I'd probably thank her.

 _What?_

"You would?"

 _He would?_

Boq chuckled and nodded. "I would."

"But… and don't take this the wrong way or anything, why?"

 _Yes, why in all of Oz would you want to thank me?_

"Because, believe it or not, this body gave me my freedom."

"It did?"

 _It did?_

"Yes," Boq laughed. "I was finally able to venture out of Muchkinland again. I got to see all of Oz when I toured the land with Dorothy." He sighed and shook his head. "I only wish I could tell her that myself."

All this time, I thought I'd ruined Boq's life by saving him. I'd wondered so many times if he'd have rathered me leave him to die, only to find out he wanted to _thank me_?

I reeled backwards, unable to fathom such a notion. The bristles of my broom rustled against the leaves of the oak tree, and I sucked in my breath as both Glinda and Boq's heads snapped toward the window.

"D… Did you see that?"

 _Oh Oz! Glinda! Had she seen me before I could hide?_ I pressed myself against the wall, and strained to hear what would happen.

"I… I think so…"

"I… It looked like…."

"I know."

"But… But that's impossible right? She died, I _saw_ her die!"

My chest clenched at the hope in her voice as Boq's feet clanged across the floor ahead of hers.

If everyone had to think I was dead, at least I wanted my closest friends to know the truth. For a moment, it was irresistibly tempting to let myself be found. I was so Ozdamn tired of all the rumors and lies. But then I thought about all the questions that were sure to follow if I revealed myself. How did I escape? If I was just hiding under the castle all that time, why didn't I say anything when all the Witch Hunters had gone? And if I answered those… Then I'd have to tell them about Fiyero, which would open a whole new plethora of doors.

The steps grew louder.

"Hello? Is anyone out there?"

"Well? Do you see anything? Is it.. Do you think it could be…?

My pulse thundered in my ears. I shouldn't be doing this. I _couldn't_ do this. I hadn't even been dead a full day yet. If Fiyero found out that I'd blown it already… The consequences would be dire for us both. I couldn't do that to him. Wouldn't. I loved Glinda, but I loved Fiyero too. Much as I wanted to see her, I had to stay away. Keeping them safe was ten times more important than fulfilling my selfish desires.

Just before the two of them could reach the windowsill, my broom yanked upward. I darted through the oak, the branches scratching at my skin as I skidded into the sky.

"No one there, Glin," Boq said sadly. "Just wishful thinking."

Seconds before I was out of earshot, my heart constricted at Glinda's strangled whimper. "Elphie…"

 _Hold out, my sweet,_ I thought, blinking back the burn of tears pricking the corners of my eyes. _Hold out._

Maybe not now, but one day, I _would_ find a way to tell her the truth.


	2. Shadow in the Candlelight

**A/N: Hope you like part 2!**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing Familiar is mine**

 **2  
Shadow in the Candlelight **

"Elphaba?"

 _Damnit!_ I cringed as Fiyero's voice ricocheted off of the walls of our small cottage at Evna Garden's edge- just seconds after my heel collided with the one creaky floorboard in our kitchen.

My hand hovered over the brass doorknob. I clasped the handle, it's cool metal, for an instant, soothing the burning tendrils of magic sparking from my shaking fingertips. I had half a mind to ignore him; simply fly off into the night and not bother to give any sort of an explanation. I'd be back by morning, and surely he could handle Azuera for one day by himself, right?

An indulgent smirk curled its way onto my lips and I swallowed a laugh. Who was I kidding? Our daughter would be thrilled to have a day with just her father. She was only one year old, but since the day she was born, she'd been a daddy's girl.

I shook my head beneath my widely brimmed, tattered hat. The silver flower that had once adorned the left side had long ago lost its sparkle, and the petals were brittle enough that one fell off in my palm every time I brushed my fingers against it, but I just didn't have the heart to be rid of it. The hat, though a pity gift at first, was the first real present I'd ever received from anyone besides Nanny. Yes, it was mangy and weathered from years spent on the run, but still… It had been _hers._ It represented the beginnings of my first, and only, as it turned out, true friendship. Through all my years hiding out,, I never., _never_ left it behind. Not only had it become my unintended "signature" since being branded wicked, but, odd as it might sound, it also kept me grounded. It reminded me that, no matter how bad things had gotten for me or between us, at least one person knew who I truly was.

"Fae? Are you alright? Where are you going?"

I closed my eyes for a long moment. The way my heart pounded against my ribcage, I thought it might puncture a bone. I counted to ten as heavy silence settled the air around me, before turning to face my husband in the dim morning light.

"I'm fine, Yero." I loosened my grip on the splintered wooden handle of my broom, hoping my voice alone would be enough to soothe his doubts. Thank Lurline it was so dark in here, because if he noticed how tight my cheeks were as I attempted to smile…

 _Don't go there, Elphaba. Just say what you need to and be done with it._

I fisted my tingling hand at my side and forged ahead. "I'm just heading Down Town. We're running out of diapers and baby food for Azuera; I need to get some more." It wasn't a very smooth alibi, but it was the quickest and most sensible thing I could think of.

 _"_ Now? Fae, it's barely light out. None of the shops will be open."

I pressed my teeth into the flesh of my bottom lip, fighting the urge to curse aloud. "You know it's at least a two hour trip. The faster I leave, the faster I'll be back."

Fiyero's brows furrowed. "Still, why do you have to go in the middle of the night? Don't we have enough diapers and food to last until morning?"

I held his gaze. In fact, we probably had enough diapers to last for another two weeks. "Yes..." I searched the small kitchen, grasping for any other reason that would explain my wanting to leave at such an odd hour. "But-"

"And what are you doing with that old broom; didn't you just sweep the floors yester- Wait." His hazel eyes widened in the rising sunlight and I stiffened. His mouth opened, hovered, then closed again.

The air hitched in my throat as he traced the silhouette of my old companion, his tortured features a maze of emotions with every swoop of his eyes.

The slight curve of the rounded top; where I'd pulled and pushed with all my strength countless times to avoid what would have otherwise been a series of potentially deadly collisions. Confusion.

The deep, nail-shaped grooves dotting the sides of the spot where my hand currently rested. Surprise.

The streaks of dark, chocolate polish all the way down to the center- the few spots where my skin hadn't constantly come in contact. Anger.

The slight sag of the middle, so sanded and worn down by now that it almost looked like a saddle that had been crafted just for my own use. Bewilderment.

His cheeks flamed and his gaze flashed. This time I couldn't stop from grimacing as he studied me. He opened his mouth again, and I braced myself against the table, the grooves digging into my back. It took every ounce of strength I had to focus on the even rising and falling of my breaths, rather than the way his eyes darted between the discolored handle, and my stoic face.

The tirade I was preparing for though, seemed to die in his throat. Instead, his gaze drifted to my poor excuse for a hat. He stared at it awhile longer, before his shoulders slumped and something new flickered behind the panic swimming in his irises. Understanding.

"You're going to see _her_ , aren't you?" He rasped. The choked question fizzled on his tongue, and I answered only with a slight nod.

His eyes hardened, then melted, then hardened again. I couldn't stop the wince that crippled my features.

"Yero... I know you think it's too dangerous-"

"Think?" he spat. "I don't just _think_ it's too dangerous Elphaba, it is! Oz..." He trailed off and began to pace around the table. "It's only been two years since we left! Have you _already_ forgotten what you endured? What _we_ endured? They almost killed us, Fae! They painted you as a treacherous murderer, and now you want to go back? To put our _family_ at risk? And why? Just so you can-"

"This isn't about just anyone Fiyero! It isn't the Witch Hunters or Morrible or some twisted desire for revenge that makes my heart physically hurt every single time I think about it. Glinda was the only true friend I've ever had and I'm _tired_ of keeping myself from her just because I've been too cowardly to take this risk! You _know_ how important she is to me, and, even if you don't love her the way you used to when we were young, I know she's important to you too."

His eyes broke contact with mine, drifting downward to trace the pattern of the worn floorboards as he nibbled on his bottom lip.

Several clock-ticks passed. Maybe minutes, maybe seconds, maybe an hour, before either of us said anything more.

"I'm sorry." I finally whispered, unable to take the silence. I really wanted to go- _needed_ to go, but Fiyero had a point. I was so used to only having to worry about myself, my own safety. I wasn't alone anymore. I had a family to think about; a daughter… If going meant putting her and Yero in danger… It tore my heart in two just contemplating the idea of never seeing Glinda again, but they had to come first. "If you don't want me to go-"

"I understand, Fae."

"What?" My gaze snapped up and I squinted to make out his features in the murky light. "Wh… What did you say?"

Fiyero brushed a hand along the back of his neck. "I may not like it… i certainly don't think it's smart or the least bit safe-"

" _Fiyero._ "

"I miss her too, Fae. Lurline, I miss _everyone_ ; my parents, my sisters… You weren't the only one who had the leave people you love-"

"You didn't have to come with me."

He sighed and shook his head, letting out a long puff of air. "Fae… That's not what I meant, you _know_ that. I _love_ you."

"But if it hadn't been for me… If you hadn't come after me in the first place…."

" _Elphaba_." The sternness in his voice made me freeze. Our gazes locked, and his lips morphed into a small smile. "I could _never_ regret coming with you. In fact, I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Really?" I whispered. Some days, that was still impossible to believe.

"Really." He stepped closer, pressing our lips together, sending a warm tingle all through my body. "Tell her hi for me, okay? And come home safe."

I hummed and snuggled into his embrace, closing my eyes and resting my chin on his shoulder. "I will. I love you, Yero."

* * *

The sight of the city stretched out before me, in all of it's ostentatious splendor, took my breath away. The same way it had so many years ago, when I'd seen it for the first time. When I'd been nothing more than a naive and optimistic college girl who worshipped the Wizard and wanted to make a difference. When I'd been with Glinda.

" _So we'll be back for good someday,."_

" _To make our lives and make our way. "_

" _And then just like now we can say….We're just two friends."_

" _Two_ best _friends…"_

I blinked as tears pricked the corners of my eyes when I remembered the promise we'd made that day. The day we truly had become the best of friends. There had been so many times over the years that I would've given anything to go back to that moment. Before we met the Wizard. Before I found Doctor Dillamond. Before I read that stupid spell. Before I discovered that everything I'd been working toward was a lie. Despite what Fiyero said, I still couldn't quite believe that everything that had happened, all of the horrible things I'd done… All of the people I'd hurt- or killed- all the lives I'd accidentally ruined in the name of trying to make good… I couldn't fathom how all of that could've been for the better.

I was careful to stay close to the shadows as I wound through every alleyway and side-street I could find; it was the longest trek i'd ever taken to the Emerald Palace, and the ache in my chest grew with every step as I inched closer and closer to its gleaming torrents. Once upon a time, that castle had been the physical incarnation of every one of my deepest, most private desires. To belong, to be admired, to finally do something worthwhile with these accursed powers.

My broom fluttered closer to the ground, but my feet still hovered above the pavement. The last time I'd been here; not counting the day I'd "died," what I wanted most in the world, was to make my family proud. I suppose, in a way, I still did want that; but not for Nessa and Frex. They were my blood, yes, and I loved them dearly. I always would.

But they weren't Fiyero. They weren't _Glinda._ They hadn't been there for me the way my friends had. Glinda had seen me in my darkest, most dismal moment; a time when, though no one knew it then, a part of me had contemplated surrendering completely when the Witch Hunters and Gale Force came for me. I had done nothing but cause pain and misery since the day I'd flown through that blasted attic window, and until Glinda showed up, and Fiyero's letter came, I had seriously doubted anyone would miss me if, desperate to be free of the demons that still occasionally haunted my dreams, I really did disappear from the world forever. It was only their friendship that kept me going. Their encouragement, their _love_ for me, had been the only reason I'd chosen to keep living.

I supposed that was part of the reason I needed to come back today. To thank her. To thank my oldest and dearest friend for never giving up on me, and for never letting me give up on myself.

My broom shot high up into the trees, and I was forced to watch from a distance as the guards took their posts, and the servants bustled about through the windows. I did a double take when I saw a motherly-looking goat pass through the hall. Looking again, I noticed that most, if not all, of the castle's staff, was comprised of Animals, chattering softly as they prepared for the day. My heart swelled with pride. The Animal Bans, it seemed, had all but vanished. The longer I watched, hovering over the streets of the city, the more species emerged. I even thought I recognized a family of tigers I'd rescued from Emerald City Jail, but I couldn't get close enough to be sure.

I couldn't keep a wide smile from spreading across my face, watching the city flourish in a way that I used to imagine only in my dreams. I knew I'd left Oz in the best hands possible with Glinda, but the fact that she had kept her promise, after all this time… It was amazing, and it was all I could do not to burst through her chambers right that second, just to make sure she knew how much it meant. Glinda had done in two years what would've taken me a lifetime; she made change.

Once the guards had stopped milling about, I soared over the canopy to the back of the palace, staying out of sight. Day was stirring, but, judging by the position of the sun, it was still remarkably early. I creeped along the glimmering walls, toward the wing of the castle that I hoped belonged to Glinda. I pressed my features to the frosted glass, glad to see that, as the chambers were close to the back of the palace, the hallways were still darkened and quiet. I hoped this meant I was headed in the right direction; perhaps, even though the day had started for the staff, Glinda still had an hour, or more, to rest. I hoped.

I circled the castle at an agonising pace, searching for any sign in the murky surface of the windows; something that would signal which one was hers. A lone, faint spark caught my eye and I pulled my broom to a stop, just hidden by the same oak tree that had shielded my existence last time. I hoped it would do the same for me now.

Daring to peer a little closer, I discovered the spark to be the last flicker of a candle. It was fading in the morning light, down to the end of it's wick. My heart clenched at the sight, remembering how Glinda had often slept by candlelight at Shiz, for fear of nightmares plaguing her rest. She hadn't had to use one since that fateful night at the Ozdust, and I dreaded to think what ghosts were haunting her mind.

I squintedt, trying to make out any distinct features of the place my best friend now called home. A full-length mirror nestled itself between the wall and the window, and I ducked on instinct, afraid of being exposed by my own reflection. In the back left corner, a plush armchair was stationed next to a giant, four-post bed. My lips curled upward as my eyes traced the flowing canopy that cascaded over the sides of the mattress, which was covered in glittering emerald sheets that, even from here, I could tell must have been the finest in the city. It was just the type of room I knew she would've loved when we were young, complete with two ginormous closets overflowing with fancy gowns. When my gaze fell on the figure in the center of the sheets, my breath caught in my throat. For the first time in two years, I was seeing her.

I sighed, aching to hug her. Asleep like that, she looked just as innocent and optimistic as she had so long ago. The more I watched though, the easier it was for me to pick out the subtle differences. Tiny signs that told me royal life was taking it's toll. The slightly whitening streaks speckled through her otherwise honey-blonde hair, the way her face scrunched up in discomfort as she turned over, clutching the sheets a little closer to her chest. She whimpered in her sleep. For an instant, I swore she was calling my name, but it was too dark to tell. I wished nothing more than to go to her, but the fates weren't kind enough to grant me the time.

The sun continued to rise higher in the sky, and when it's warmth radiated across the tip of my shoulder, I knew I was about to overstay my welcome. With a wistful sigh, I pulled the letter I'd written out from where it was hidden in the hem of my dress, cradling it close to my heart. I'd wrote it down, all the things I wanted to say to her, just in case something like this happened, and I didn't have the time to do it myself.

I closed my eyes and muttered a small spell, feeling the envelope slip from my hands. When I opened them again, it was perched on the nightstand just beside her bed. I watched her for a few more precious minutes, wanting to soak up every memory I could. It wasn't as good as talking to her outright, but for now, it would have to do.

 _One short day…_

"Your Goodness?"

I sucked in my breath as the door to her chambers creaked open. I didn't wait to see who would come through, instead leaving much the same way as I had before, with a gentle gust of wind as the leaves rustled beneath my feet, and tears blurring the edges of my vision.

 _And now that I'm in here, you'll know I've been here..._


	3. Message in a Bottle

**A/N: Here's chapter three. I think it may be the most angsty thing I've ever written in my life, but I love how it turned out. I hope you do too. The next one (or two, depending on how long they are) chapters will be super fluffy to make up for it. Enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing familiar is mine!**

 **3  
Message in a Bottle**

" _Because I knew you; I have been changed… For good." I choked out the last word and twined our hands together one final time, my gaze never leaving hers. Elphaba's sable eyes glistened as I traced the contours of her beautiful emerald features, taking in every detail I possibly could, hoping her face would burn itself into my memory. A deep-seated dread churned my stomach as the blissful silence radiated through the cavernous walls of Kaimo Ko. The calm before the most horrendous, violent storm I would ever witness._

 _I shook my head, golden curls tickling my shoulders. We both knew time was running out, but I was determined not to think about that. This might very well be the last time I would ever have the chance to see her, and dammit, I was going to enjoy it. She brought her hand up and stroked my cheek, which I only then realized was still damp with tears. I tried to push them back, but it was fruitless. The pain of losing her was already unbearable, and nothing had even happened yet. I nuzzled my cheek into her palm; I honestly had no idea what I was going to do without her. "Elphaba..." I whimpered. I didn't want to leave her. I didn't want to go on in a world where my best friend no longer existed except in some delusional, twisted fantasy. She might be the Wicked Witch to the rest of Oz, but to me, she would always and forever, be Elphie._

" _You're my best friend, Glin." she whispered, cutting me off. "Never forget that, okay? I love you, and I know you'll make me proud." She pressed the Grimmerie a little further toward my chest, and it took every bit of strength I had left not to break down in her arms. She pulled me close, squeezing me tighter than I'd ever seen her hug anyone. I buried my face in the crook of her neck. My tears soaked through her tattered dress in a matter of minutes, but neither one of us wanted to be the first to let go._

 _Suddenly, an army of footsteps thundered over the stairs, heading straight toward our sanctuary. I jerked backward as shards of stone hit the ground with massive thuds, shaking the castle. My hands begin to tremble and my blue eyes widened in fear. "El… Elphaba," I whispered, trying to quell the panic in my throat despite the rapid rising and falling of my chest. The walls began to close in around me, and the sight of her confident chocolate eyes on mine was the only thing that kept my conscience anchored to the ground. "Is that…?"_

 _Her nails pierced my flesh and she watched the door with unblinking intensity. "Yes." Her face was screwed in pain, and it was absolute torment to know there was nothing I could do to help._

" _Nowhere to hide,_ Witch!" _I swallowed an audible gasp as Boq's raspy snarl reverberated sed through the door and off the sparkling onyx walls. A battering ram was taken to the door, and the impact made the room quake. I launched myself into Elphaba's arms, digging my fingers into the fabric of her gown and clutching it for all I was worth. My eyes widened in horror as the wood began to crack and splinter in two. The rusted brass hinges looked mere seconds from tearing._

" _El...Elphie…" I squeaked. She quickly but gently unlatched my arms from their koala-like grip around her neck, shoving me toward an alcove in the darkest corner of the room. I hadn't noticed it before, as it was camouflaged by a black glossimer curtain. She threw the fabric back, shoving me forward from behind._

" _You have to hide," she hissed. I twisted against her grasp, bewildered. I was terrified, yes, but did she really expect me to leave her to face those… those_ heathens _alone?"_

" _Elphaba, I-"_

" _No one can know you were here." She thrust her arm forward and I stumbled from the force. My back pressed against the cool brick._

" _But, Elphie, they'll-" My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't bare to think of what was going to become of her if the mob broke through._

" _Hide yourself." And without another word, she whisked the curtain over, so I was encased in total darkness._

 _I groped a few steps forward, reaching out to clutch at the veil. Before I could retch it open, the only barricade between Elphaba and the army ripped free from it's hinges. The thundering of boots across the floor shook my balance; I slapped my hands against the sides of the opening in order to stay upright, but the sound was muffled by the Witch Hunters' raging cries._

" _Kill the Witch!"_

" _The Wicked dies alone!"_

" _Kill her!"_

 _I clasped my hands around my head, curling into fetal position on the frigid floor, and barely noticing the cascade of tears streaming down my cheeks. I willed the chaos to fade, unable to face the reality of what was occurring._

" _Noooo!" A slosh of water and a piercing scream echoed through the hall. I clenched my eyes shut tighter and pressed my head against my knees, her agony like a dagger to my heart._

 _When I moved again, I couldn't say how much time had passed. The sounds of battle still raged in my mind, and even though I hadn't seen what they'd done to her, I knew in my heart of hearts that the ghoulish visions of her suffering would never be able to vacate themselves from my nightmares. I pushed up into a stand, my legs shaking beneath me. They were numb from being kept curled, and I could barely stumble out from my hiding place; for an instant, I wished my heart could feel the same._

" _Elphie…?" My voice was raspy and hoarse from crying. I knew it was useless to hope, but even after everything I'd heard, even with her tortured screams still ringing in my ears. I refused to wrap my mind around the fact that she was truly gone._

 _The silence engulfed me, threatening to snuff out what little life-force I had left, with its stillness and misguided serenity. In the dim light of the setting sun, my eyes drifted around the room, and I was amazed at how...calm it looked. If I didn't know any better, I wouldn't have guessed that anything of significance had happened at all, let alone the murder of my truest friend. Aside from a few scuff marks on the floor, and scraps of tattered clothing, the chambers looked almost identical to the way they had before. So much so, that I was beginning to think the brutal bloodbath that had occurred only hours before, really had been nothing more than my imagination._

 _Then I made the mistake of letting my gaze drift downward. My stomach convulsed, and the tears that had began to lessen to mere trickles, once again flowed with the force of raging rivers. I couldn't catch my breath, but as despair crashed over me, black with an endless void of hopelessness that I had never thought possible to experience, I wasn't sure I ever wanted to. My best friend was gone, and the thought of moving forward without her seemed impossible._

 _It was a cruel, monstrous trick of fate, I realized, that I, who had survived my entire, pathetic existence by masking my true identity behind glittering veils of lies and conformity, and who had never done a single did without considering its impact on my own precious reputation was alive, while Elphaba; brave, strong, unlimited Elphaba, who was never afraid to show her true colors and who had always and forever put the needs of others before her own, was dead. She had died a merciless and painful death at the hands of those who hated her, all to protect the Animals. And yet, all of Oz still thought her wicked._

 _I crumpled to my knees and reached out, resisting the urge to recoil as my fingertips collided with worn, velvet fabric. Her hat. The hat I had given her. The hideous hat that had ultimately led me to the truest and most courageous girl I'd ever known._

 _I pushed myself up to my knees and clutched the old object to my chest, burying my face in the fabric. "Oh Elphie…" I sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Elphie. Please… Please forgive me..."_

* * *

"Your Goodness? Glinda? Wake up, dear."

"Elphie?" I woke with a start, bolting upright in bed. My gaze darted around the pitch black room, and for a moment, I was sure I'd fallen asleep on the cold, unforgiving concrete of Kaimo Ko. Everywhere I turned, the illusions of Elphaba sinking to the ground with those horridiffourous bruises marring her beautiful emerald skin clouded my vision. For the first time in two years, I almost wished I had _seen_ her death, if only so these gruesome scenes would stop destroying my dreams.

I still remembered the stifling silence that had surrounded the cavern not long after her demise. As unsettling as it had seemed at the time, I now clung to that feeling with everything I had. I didn't dare to hope that the oddly subdued atmosphere might have meant there was more to the scene than had met my eye, and that Elphie might, somehow, have escaped. I couldn't let myself think like that, lest I wanted to be driven mad by my own fantasies and paranoid wishful thinking. After all, I had heard her scream,, and shrill noises like that only came from those facing their end.

I did, however, take comfort in the fact that, without any noticeable bloodstains or mangled remains, perhaps her final minutes of life were not as horrifying as I always imagined when I had only the slinking shadows of the night to turn to. Of course, it was also possible that the Hunter's had simply taken her body and completed the torture elsewhere. That was the only plausible explanation for my discovery of her hat, though I resisted the urge to take it with me. Instead, I'd left it there, as a sort of silent shrine. I hoped she knew, wherever she was, that while no one mourned the wicked, I did in fact, mourn _her_. Still, I used every bit of willpower I had to keep those crippling thoughts from controlling my subconscious, for fear I would drown in despair if they ever did.

"Your… Your Goodness?" A familiar, motherly voice cut through the panic welling in my chest. "Are you… Are you alright?"

I blinked in the dim light of the rising sun streaming through my window, focusing only on the slow rise and fall of my chest as my mind was anchored back to the present. Turning toward the door, I wiped the back of my hand across my damp eyes and managed a weak smile toward the Ram, whose kind gaze was laced with concern as she watched me from the hall. "Y-Yes, Maggie," I managed a watery smile and drew myself up. "I'm fine, thank you. Is it… Is it time for breakfast?"

"Fifteen minutes, Your Goodness, and then the festivities began at noon."

I suppressed a groan, fighting back the sting at the edges of my eyes and clenching my fists beneath the soft sheets. That explained the nightmare, and the nausea swirling in my stomach. Today marked two years since Elphaba had first been pronounced dead. I suddenly had the urge to do nothing but curl up beneath my blankets. Just once, I wished they would let me mourn my best friend in peace.

"Do you… require assistance this morning?"

I steeled my features and sunk my teeth into my bottom lip. I couldn't cry. Not now. Not ever. Oz would only ever see her as the Wicked Witch, and as their new ruler, and because it was Elphie's dying wish, I _had_ to keep up appearances. Even if it wrecked me to do so. "No, thank you, Maggie. I'll be down in just a few clock ticks."

My handmaid studied my face, and I knew she could see through my cracking chipper facade. I held her gaze, much as it pained me. Finally, she nodded and gave a small bow. "As you wish, Your Goodness." She backed away and shut the door with a soft click. I waited until her footsteps faded away down the corridor before I finally released my breath. When I did, it came out only as a tiny, strangled sob. I allowed myself another full five minutes of wallowing, before I collected my emotions and pushed back the covers.

As my feet slid into my favorite fuzzy pick slippers, a thin white envelope resting on my nightstand made me stop short. My breath caught in my throat, and with shaking hands, I reached out to touch the seam of the glossy envelope, convinced for one small moment, that I was still dreaming. When the pads of my fingers collided with the smooth paper, I could barely contain the gasp of surprise that bubbled up in my throat. _No. It couldn't be. It was impossible._

My eyes scanned the neat handwriting, printed in perfect cursive on the front of the envelope, and I traced my hand along the letters while mouthing the nickname I hadn't had the pleasure of being called since the night she died.

 _My sweet._

I tried to rationalize that this wasn't what I thought it was, that there was some other explanation- _any_ other explanation- to the precious letter cradled in my hands. Maybe a suitor. Or Boq, or… Sweet wasn't an uncommon name. Though it had always been hers, It wasn't a stretch to believe that someone else would think to use it… But no matter how much I tried to slow my stampeding heart, I couldn't quite extinguish that tiny sliver of hope that had taken root in my chest. It was impossible, I knew that. And yet…

She was the only person who had ever called me that, and the only one that ever would. I picked up the letter, my whole body trembling with adrenaline as my thumb tore through the top, rip by agonizing rip.

With baited breath, I removed the aging paper, the half-fold perfect and crisp. It was just like Elphaba to be meticulous about that. The envelope fluttered to the floor,, and soon there was only a letter. A mysterious, terrifying, unbelievable letter resting in my palms.

For a moment, I was frozen, gripped by uncertainty like nothing I had ever known. I wondered if maybe I should just leave it; if I should bask in the glow of possibilities for just a few seconds longer, before my soul once again came crashing back to Earth.

It was tempting, that was for sure. I took another ten minutes to just stare at it, hope and abject fear fighting for control of my mind. I set it on the windowsill, next to the candle that was nothing more now than melted wax. I went about my duties of dressing, but all the while, couldn't tear my thoughts away. I got as close to leaving as resting my hand against the emerald encrusted knob of my chamber doors. Still, my gaze lingered on that weathered parchment.

What if this was real, and not just a dream? What if Elphaba really _was_ out there, and she had written to tell me how to find her? What if, at last, I could return to my best friend?

All at once, I abandoned any pretense of rationale, scurrying over to the window. For two years, I had been left in the dark, despairing her death; wishing with all my heart that things had been different, that _I_ had been different. That I'd had the courage to do good just a little bit sooner. I couldn't go back and change the past. I could only look forward to the future. But I had to know. No matter how much it tore me apart inside, I had to know the truth. Without another moment's hesitation, I finally pulled the paper back, and unfolded the letter.

 _My dearest Galinda,_

This time I gasped out loud. The writing was hers, sure enough, but more than that, she was the only one who ever addressed me by my common name anymore. I'd asked everyone to call me Glinda after Doctor Dillamond was removed from Shiz, but, as she knew it had always been a mere, blonde-brained stunt to impress Fiyero, and one which I had regretted since the moment the words left my mouth, she never once obliged. The warmth swelled in my heart, tingling my insides from the tips of my fingers all the way down to my toes. I hurried to read on.

 _There is so much I wish to tell you; more than I can ever hope to say in one single letter. If you're reading this, it means that I didn't have time to say it myself without the risk of getting caught._

Caught. The word kept ringing in my ears, and I couldn't stop the delusional smile from spreading across my face. My first true smile in two years.

In order to fear being _caught_ she had to be _alive_. The idea that she was still running, still watching her back at every turn, sent a stabbing pang of guilt through me, but the grin lingered. She was alive. That was more than I'd ever dared to hope.

 _If that is the case, then I'm sorry, my sweet, I'm so very sorry that a simple letter is all I have to offer at the moment. I wish I could give you more._

I actually laughed at that; same old Elphaba. She always thought she was never good enough, and I longed to tell her, _again,_ just how preposterously _wrong_ she was.

 _I don't really know where to began, because so much has happened since that night in Kaimo Ko, so I suppose I'll start with the thing I want the most for you to understand: Thank you._

 _Thank you for being my friend, for breaking down my walls and helping me remember what it felt like to be loved again. Thank you for always making me laugh. For picking me up whenever I was down. Thank you for bringing light into my life, when all I could see was darkness. Thank you for the fun we had. The late nights sharing secrets, and the early morning picnics by Suicide Canal. The endless pink-filled shopping sprees, and all the times you called me beautiful. (It's still a hard thing to believe, but I'm getting there.)_

Tears had dampened my cheeks again, but this time, they were happy ones. "Oh, Elphie," I whispered. "Of course you're beautiful; I don't know how you could think otherwise."

 _Thank you for leading me to Fiyero, and for never turning your back on me, even when I deserved it, and the rest of Oz had. Thank you for chipping away at my defenses, and never giving up on me, even when the thing I wanted most in the world, was to give up on myself._

I sucked in my breath at that, the implications shrouding my mind as I took the flimsy paper and held it close to my heart. Almost as if she were here, and I was hugging her instead.

 _I love you, Glinda. As my best friend and as so much more. You're the sister I never had, and the handprint you left on my heart, and my live, still guides me everyday. I'll be thinking of you always, and we will see each other soon._

 _For good,_

 _Elphie_

 _P.S. Meet me in six months time, at Suicide Canal, and I'll explain everything. In the meantime, think of me at night, when the moon rises in the western sky._

 **A/N 2: Yes, I know the moon rises in the east, but this is Oz, so in my head it's backwards there.**


	4. When the Day Breaks

**A/N: Happy May! Enjoy chapter four!**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing familiar is mine or for profit.**

 **4**

 **When the Day Breaks**

Six months. Six agonizing months of waiting, wondering, and cherishing the only form of contact my best friend had given me since the night she… disappeared? Was that what it had been? I couldn't very well call her dead anymore, after what I'd read. A part of me still didn't believe it was real, that she was really out there, waiting, wanting to see me just as desperately as I longed to see her.

But I had to hope. True to the old Galinda, no matter how much I'd tried to rationalize and avoid letting my spirits rise too high as the day drew closer, I couldn't hush that gleeful little voice in the back of my mind. Finally, after almost three years of mourning her death, wishing more than anything that I could see her again- just once- here was my chance.

For so much time, I'd felt like I'd failed her. I replayed that night over and over in my mind, always thinking that if only I could've been braver, stronger, less caught up in my own desires- Oh, how things would have been different!

And now, Oz had given me the greatest gift I could possibly imagine: a second chance.

Even though it was only a glimmer, and I'd yet to have any real proof, besides the letter, that Elphie was out there, I thanked Lurline everyday for that tiny seed of hope that had been planted in my chest just when I'd begun to doubt I could take the pressures of life without her any longer. The letter had ignited a new flame inside me, and no matter what happened, I was determined to hold onto it with all of my strength.

As my bubble crested over the mountains of my childhood home in Gillikin and the worn yet majestic grounds of Shiz came into view, Suicide Canal running perpendicular through the campus as it always had, I was overwhelmed with a sea of memories, and taken back to the day where I first began to recognize my best friend for the sharp-witted and fearless girl she was.

* * *

 _"Every day, with every tick of the Time Dragon Clock, in every corner of our great Oz, one hears the silence of progress. For example: this is called a cage!"_

 _I was not at all impressed when our new professor, a man by the name of NikDik, apparently, pulled back a raggedy, old, red cloak, covered in patches and clearly well loved, to reveal a young lion- Or was it a Lion? I couldn't say for sure- cowering in the back of a tiny metal box. The dramatic flare of the cloth had sent up a cloud of musty air that stung my eyes and briefly left me with nothing to do but cough._

 _In the back of the room, I swore I heard someone growl. I swiveled around, knitting my brows together. Who had that come from?_

 _When Elphaba's gaze met mine as I scanned the sea of faces, it didn't take long to put two and two together. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She ground her teeth and was already standing halfway up from her seat. Her perceptive brown eyes had narrowed into menacing slits, and the air rippled around her with a strange electric spark._

 _Something popped, and for a moment, it looked as if the tip of NikDik's cape was on fire. It extinguished as quickly as it came, but Elphie looked about ten seconds from throwing that poor man out the window._

 _"Elphie," I whispered,"calm down; you're going to hurt someone."_

 _"I don't care," she mouthed back. "First Dillamond, and now this?" She shook her head. "They're oppressing them. It's wrong, Galinda, don't you see? Someone has to say something before it gets any worse."_

 _I was silent at that; I really didn't know what to say. I'd never cared much for that old Goat- After all, how hard was it to pronounce my name?- but I knew he meant quite a lot to Elphie. He was her first real friend, much as I liked to place that title on myself, and it dawned on me just then how much his sudden departure must be affecting her._

 _"Now," NikDik continued, "we will be seeing more and more of them in the near future. This remarkable innovation is actually for the Animal's own good…"_

 _"If this is for his own good, then why is he trembling?" Her words drippped with venom. I sucked in my breath. The air rippled a little faster._

 _Elphaba was a lot of things, but rational would never be one of them. The way her gaze bore into him right now, I knew bringing that cage in here, mere minutes after her favorite teacher was just escorted from campus, was more than enough to tip her over the boiling point._

 _"He's just excited to be here, that's all." NikDik gave the top of the contraption a firm whack that echoed off of the walls. The cub whimpered before ceasing his fidgeting and curling up in a ball, as far away from any of us as he could get. I winced. "Now, as I was saying, one of the benefits of caging a Lion cub while he's young is that he never, in fact, will learn how to speak."_

 _Animals not learning to speak? The thought made my head spin. As much as I'd had a tift with Doctor Dillamond, I would've never wished it upon him, or any Animal, to lose their ability to express themselves._

 _There was a collective gasp of surprise throughout the room, which gradually evolved into groups of hushed, anxious whispers. No one quite knew how to respond as NikDik beckoned us forward for a closer inspection. No one, that is, except Elphie._

 _"What?" she shrieked, shoving her way through the crowd._

 _"That's right!" NikDik flashed a large, smarmy grin. My stomach twisted in disgust at the very idea that he could take pride in such a thing. "Come closer!"_

 _Elphaba continued to march forward, Fiyero close behind her. A bout of jealousy flared inside me, seeing them together, but I did my best to push it back. "Can you imagine a world where Animals are kept in cages and they never speak?" she fumed to him._

 _Fiyero shook his head, and I marveled at the way his gaze never left hers. Why was he looking at her like that? Fifi and Elphie were friends, sure, but he was_ my _boyfriend. At least, I thought he was._

 _"What should I do?" Elphaba asked him as I was swept away by the crowd of students. Only their voices reverberating off of the walls let me hear the rest of the conversation._

 _"I don't know."_

 _"Well…" She stopped. Looked around. I could feel the panic, and magic, rolling off of her in waves as she surged forward toward the frightened cub. "Somebody has to... Do something!" Her crazed scream made us all freeze in our tracks._

 _A split second of eerie silence._

 _And then, all hell broke loose._

* * *

I cringed, still remembering with painful clarity the white hot fire that had seared through my skin and boiled my blood. Pulling, thrashing, contorting my limbs in ways I hadn't even known it was possible for them to bend. And watching with a sinking heart as my best friend and boyfriend took off into the night, not to be heard from until nearly two a.m. the next morning.

I hadn't wanted to admit it, but I think I'd known, even then, that it was never me that Fifi fit perfectly with; it was Elphie. Much as it made my heart ache to watch the two of them, I knew in that moment that his love had never really belonged to me. And, many times as I'd tried to make it so over the years that followed, it never would. If he truly was alive, I was glad they were together; the way they should have been from the beginning.

Elphaba taught me something else that day. It was the first time I've seen her really stand up for what she believed in. She taught me what it meant to be brave, even if it made her look like a fool; even if she had to take a chance. It was worth it, because she was doing what she thought was right.

I would see that side of her many times over the next few years, but especially that night when she defied The Wizard. She left behind everything she had, essentially ruining her life and destroying her identity for the sake of helping others. It was the most courageous thing I'd ever seen, and it was a lesson I would look back on every day after her death, hoping that what I was doing, was enough to make her proud. She thought that I'd changed her life, but she'd changed mine, just the same.

She'd opened my eyes to the cruelties of the world, which before had simply flown over my head an a fanciful and preposterous blur. Seeing things more for what they were, instead of what I'd always wanted them to be, had made me a much more empathetic person, and, I hoped, a better ruler. I couldn't believe I would finally get the chance to tell her that myself. If she was really here.

My bubble fluttered to the ground. I drew in a deep breath of sweet summer air as a light breeze brushed itself over my shoulders, shimmying betwixt my golden curls and making them dance in the wind. I didn't trust myself to speak, wanting to relish this rare moment of peace and quiet. I slipped free of my glittering high-heels and carefully stepped down onto the wet grass. A light giggle bubbled up from my throat as it tickled my bare feet. Finally, after two and a half years of personifying hope to all of Oz, I didn't have to be anyone but myself. No expectations, no prying eyes, no ladies in waiting ready to cater to my every whim. I sighed in bliss. Since everything had happened, the one thing I wanted, more than anything else-besides my best friend back- was just one last chance, one more day away from the obsceniary demands of royal life. A day to relish a freedom I hadn't known existed, before it was taken from me forever. The freedom to be simply, Galinda.

As I settled down onto the grass, the layers of my skirt billowed outward before me. The silken fabric caught itself on my left ankle and sent me tumbling toward the dirt. "Ooph." I hit the ground with a soft thud, and a few flecks of dandelion seeds puffed off of their flowers on impact-and landed right between my freshly glossed lips. "Ugh! Pfft!" I sputtered and spit the feathery petals away, picking a few stray ones from my hair when I finally managed to push myself back up into a sitting position.

One would think with my status as the new ruler of Oz, the least I would be able to do would be to request a more functional wardrobe. Unfortunately, this gown in particular couldn't be exchanged. It was almost as infamous as my name now, for it had been the first gift given to me by the Wizard when he'd christened me Glinda the Good and, as principle, when my reign began, it became my signature. An unspoken symbol, much like my bubble or… or her hat. It showed the citizens of Oz that I was there for them, that I could be trusted, and that I would do everything in my power to help them as best as possible. The trouble was, along with being the most stylish and magical gown I had ever worn in my entire life, it was also horridly uncomfortable and difficult to move in. Usually I only wore it when I had to make personal appearances, but today I couldn't take any risks. I had told the counsel that I was going to Gilikin to give a speech, and though I hadn't wanted to put on the entire spectacle, it was too dangerous, for both of us, if anyone suspected anything otherwise.

I only hoped that all of my efforts were worth it; I still hadn't fully convinced myself that I wasn't going mad from grief and acting on a child's fantasy. Checking my watch, I realized it was only 10 minutes past my initial arrival time. Looking over the hill, I could see the sun was only just beginning to set.

 _Be patient, Glinda. She promised to be here, and so she will. When has she ever broken a promise to you?_

Still, with every clock tick that passed, I couldn't keep my gaze from roaming the nearby woods, trying to catch a glimpse of Elphaba's tell-tale emerald skin. _What if she wasn't alive after all?_

* * *

"It seems the beautiful get more beautiful, while the green just get greener."

My blood turned to ice and I swallowed the strangled yelp in my throat, but refused to turn around as another light breeze tousled my curls.

 _Don't look, I scolded myself. It's all in your head; it's not real._ It couldn't be real.

After nearly two hours of waiting, desperate tears pricked the corners of my eyes as the last shreds of hope in my heart were stampeded into useless nothings. I brushed the back of my hand across my damp cheek, disgusted with myself for daring to hold onto it in the first place.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my skin prickled with heat, but still I didn't move. I pressed my teeth into the flush of my lower lip and dug my nails into the palms of my hands. I wanted so badly to turn around, but the sun had set long ago and I didn't trust my own psyche at the moment.

 _I mean, really, what did you expect? Elphaba is dead, and as much as you might wish it… There are some things even the strongest magic can't undo._

"Sweet, please. Look at me." Her melodic voice cracked as it floated over me. She sounded so tired, so broken. I wanted to do nothing more than to comfort her, to pull her in my arms and offer the tightest most fearsome hug I could manage, as she had for me all of those years at Shiz.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing my legs to propel me forward, away from the lies and phantoms and trickery that this place had so obviously conjured to torture me, but they wouldn't budge.

 _She's not real._ She couldn't be.

"Come now, Glin. I think I've made you hold out long enough."

Hold out, my sweet.

My eyes popped open. She had only said that to me once before. In the attic, as she mounted that horrendiferous old broom.

My heart in my stomach, the water of Suicide Canal thundering in my ears, I drew my shoulders up and finally, ever so slowly, turned around.

"...El...Elphie?"

She offered a soft, wary smile, her sable eyes dancing in the moonlight. "Hello, my sweet."


	5. Won't Let You Go

**A/N:** I'm so sorry this took forever, but it's extra long to make up for it. Hope you enjoy the finale to From Time To Time! I had a blast writing it!

 **Disclaimer:** Wicked is not mine, nor is anything you recognize from the show. Nothing is for profit.

 **5**

 **Won't Let You Go**

"This is impossible…." she breathed, shaking her head. She still hadn't moved from her pensive stance on the grass. The tear-tracks staining her pale cheeks gleamed in the night, like scars marring her perfect features.

Guilt twisted my stomach. I hated that I'd, yet again, been the cause of her pain, and I felt like a worthless coward for not showing myself sooner. In truth, I'd been here for hours, hiding behind that blasted tree and fighting against the black voices hissing at me from the depths of my mind.

To dangerous, they insisted. Not worth it. Besides, do you really think she wants to see you, after everything you've done? Faking your death, letting her mourn you, leaving her miserable for three whole years because you were too selfish to think of anyone's needs but your own?

I had clenched my fists and ground my teeth, fighting those lies with every power I possessed, but still, I couldn't quite dismiss the possibility. Glinda had every right to never want to see me again; I'd been a terrible friend to her. it had rubbed my heart raw not to let her know the truth, but I'd convinced myself that I was doing the right thing. Running, hiding, praying my old life would never come back to haunt me… it was the only way to guarantee safety. Not just mine and Fiyero's, but hers as well. Maybe even hers most of all. Severing our ties had hurt more than I'd ever thought possible, but what else was I supposed to do? I was a wanted criminal, and I was not going to drag anyone else I cared about through the mud with me again.

Until six months ago, when I'd climbed on my broomstick and flown all the way back to the Emerald City only to chicken out at the last minute and leave her with nothing but that blasted letter. At the time, it seemed like the least that I could do. She deserved to know the truth. But almost from the moment that I darted away through the leaves of that sturdy oak, I'd begun to regret it.

I wondered if my attempt to make things right was actually a cruel, heartless trick. Perhaps I'd hidden my true intentions of clearing my own conscious behind the guise of a sentimental letter without being able to recognize what I'd done. I spent the next several weeks in agony, torn between the possibility that my only friend left in the world might no longer want anything to do with me, and the fear that evidence of my journey to Oz was somehow still lingering, and I had put my entire family in danger.

A part of me hoped she wouldn't even read the letter, or at the very least, assume it was nothing more than a cold-hearted prank. There was no way to guarantee that I would be able to meet tonight, and the thought of giving her false hope was too horrendous to bear. But I knew Glinda too well to believe she wouldn't cling to every last word as though it were her lifeline, and, no matter what happened, I wanted to make sure she knew how much she meant to me. Even if I wasn't able to muster up the courage to say so myself.

As she scrutinized me, searching, no doubt, for the source of my existence, it still amazed me that I was standing here, though my hands had yet to stop trembling. In the end, it had been Fiyero who had convinced me to follow through with the plan, when I, shamefully, had only wanted to run.

* * *

 _The sun was mocking me. I was convinced of that from the moment Azuera awoke. It's rays poked out one by one from behind the low-set stretch of graying clouds. Hanging almost parallel to the grounds- still cloaked mostly in shadow as it was only six in the morning- they were a much more accurate reflection of my mood. As I lifted my daughter from her worn wooden crib and tip toed into the kitchen to prepare her bowl of rice cereal, the cheery light snaked in and out of the small gaps between the log walls. It followed us for a few paces, then disappeared. Only to re-emerge in front of me a minute later._

 _There's an old saying that "the fog comes on little cat feet," but, apparently, this morning, the sun felt the need to contradict that deduction. As Azuera and I headed toward the rocking chair beneath the large living room window, her favorite spot, as far as Yero and I could tell, it was intent on lighting up my stiff emerald features._

 _I'd woken with a permanent knot twisting my stomach, and watching the sun inch higher and higher in the sky with every passing minute only made it wind tighter. Today was the day I was supposed to meet Glinda, and while I knew I should've been excited, the real emotions that had kept me up for the majority of the night were a mixture of fear and unexplainable dread. I hated myself for being afraid of the girl who had once been my best friend, but I was risking so much to see her again, and I couldn't help wondering if it was worth it. What if the Gale Force came with her? What if my letter had somehow been found, and I was walking into a war zone without even knowing it? Or worse, what if she didn't show up at all?_

 _I did my best to quell my trepidation as I helped Azuera spoon her breakfast. Evidently, I didn't do so well enough. The moment I cleaned her face and took the bowl to the sink, my daughter didn't scramble down from my lap and make a break for the backyard as expected, but touched her forehead to mine and placed her warm hands on my cheeks so I had no choice but to look her in the eye. When she was sure she had my attention, she smiled a wide, giddy smile and promptly exclaimed, "Ma!"_

 _I blinked, a small grin dancing on my lips. "What was that, baby? Can you say it again?"_

 _"Ma!" she squealed, throwing her hands up and cackling at my exuberant smile._

 _"That's right, Zuera! I'm your Mommy." for that brief moment, all worries of Glinda and our impending meeting vanished, and I relished in the chance to spend a few quiet moments with my daughter. Fiyero had been trying to coax 'Daddy' out of her for weeks; he was determined that he would get the privilege of being her first word._

 _I offered Azuera a tiny wink. "Wait until I tell Daddy what you learned, hmm?" I nuzzled my daughter's nose and sat back with a contented sigh. Maybe things would be okay after all._

* * *

 _Unfortunately, my good mood only lasted about an hour past lunch, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep myself from glancing out the window, tracking the sun._

 _"Fae? What are you doing?"_

 _I jerked my gaze away from the cloudless sky, my shoulders sagging as I swiveled to face Fiyero. Azuera was down for a nap, and I couldn't stop thinking about tonight. "Huh? Nothing. Just… lost in thought, I guess."_

 _He smiled and came closer to wrap his arms around my waist. "Excited about seeing Glinda?" he murmured._

 _I pressed my lips together and trained my eyes to the sky, preferring to lean into his embrace rather than respond._

 _"Fae?" Several minutes had passed, and still I said nothing. I stiffened in his arms. He hummed and brought his palms up to massage my shoulders._

 _"What are you thinking, beautiful?"_

 _I snorted, and opened my mouth to correct him._

 _"Ah. No objections. You are beautiful, Elphaba Thropp. And I won't hear you say otherwise."_

 _I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Is this old argument ever going to end?"_

 _Fiyero laughed, shrugging his shoulders. "Hey, I'm just trying to compliment you, Fae. You're the one who always insists it isn't true."_

 _"Because it's not,Yero"_

 _"To you, maybe. To me?" He didn't finish that statement, but instead adjusted my positioning so he could lean down and plant a tender kiss on my lips._

 _I pressed against him with equal passion, until we finally pulled apart, if only for the simple need to breathe._

 _"There's that smile," he chuckled, leading me out into the living room. "Now," he plopped down on the couch and I followed suit, "what were you thinking about?"_

 _The grin slipped from my face and I took a deep breath, twining my fingers in the hem of my dress. "Yero, I… Do you really think I should be doing this?" I caught my lip between my teeth, not willing to meet his eyes._

 _"Doing what?" he asked. I looked up to see his brows furrowed, hazel orbs studying mine._

 _"Going back to Oz. Meeting Glin again."_

 _"What? Elphaba…"_

 _"It's just… I know she's my best friend, and I miss her so much, but I already tried once, and I ran because I was too afraid of being caught, even for her. Who's to say I won't do it again?"_

 _Fiyero shook his head and clasped my hands. "Fae."_

 _"I'm risking our safety, our family to see her again, and… I just can't help wondering… is it worth it?"_

 _"Of course it is. She's your best friend."_

 _"But, how do I even know she'll come? I mean, what if the Gale Force is waiting for me instead?"_

 _"Glin would never let that happen."_

 _"But, Yero… How do I even know she wants to see me? What if she hates me? I mean, leaving her like that. Not even a word, just a stupid letter telling I'm alive… What if… What if she didn't believe it?"_

 _I glared at him when I noticed he was swallowing a laugh. "Fae, this is Glinda we're talking about. She has more faith than anyone I've ever met. Of course she'll believe it."_

 _I let out a strained laugh. "True."_

 _"And as for the risk…" He shrugged again. "I'm willing to take it if you are."_

 _"You are?" I whispered, a lump welling in my throat._

 _"I told you I'd do anything for you. And, I'm pretty sure this counts as a thing." He smirked. This time, I laughed for real._

 _"Okay, I said, leaning in to kiss him. "Thank you, Yero my hero."_

 _Anytime, Fae," he mumbled against my skin. "Anytime."_

* * *

I sighed. Only a few hours ago, I had thought maybe, just maybe, everything was going to be all right between us. Seeing her though, made my mouth turn to cotton. I shuffled my feet in the dew-covered grass, fumbling for words. "I know it must seem that way." My voice thickened with an odd mix of fear and elation. Finally, I could look my best friend in the eye again. But it was a stab in the heart to know that all she saw, if the vacant stare punctured with the tiniest glimmers of mistrust and disbelief was anything to go by, was a ghost. "But I promise you, Glinda, I'm real."

She blinked. Took a small step toward me. Reached out , as if touching me was the only thing that would convince her this wasn't a mirage, or a scene conjured by the depths of her mind as a means of torture. I moved forward to meet her in the middle, my fingers shaking just as badly as I pulled my hand from my pocket and extended it in time with hers.

Just before our fingers could brush, however, she yanked her arm back, and squeezed her eyes shut, golden curls swinging in the moonlight. "No!" she hissed. "This is a trick. You're not real…" A sparkle of fright danced in her shining blue eyes. "You can't be." My lips twitched, tempted to curl into a smile. I could tell from the doubt in her voice that her resolve was waivering.

"I am." In one swift motion, I closed three years of distance between us, wrapping my arms around her and hugging her so both of us were at a loss for breath. It was the hardest I'd ever hugged anyone, and I hoped it would convince her to see the truth. If it didn't… I wasn't sure what I was going to do.

She was rigid in my arms, and I had to fight every impulse not to tense up myself. But the longer I held on, the more she relaxed. She melted into my embrace, and I have no existing memory of ever feeling more relieved. She buried her face in my hair, and eventually I felt the familiar warmth of wet tears staining my skin as she fisted the fabric of my dress in her hands.

My heart constricted as the first few droplets dampened my shoulder; I couldn't tell what she was feeling just then, and a part of me didn't want to find out. Finally, I was able to make out a few of her mumblings, and what I heard made my heart soar.

"Oh, Elphie…!" She shook her head and pulled away, only to hug me even tighter a second later. "It is you."

"Yes, my sweet," I whispered. "It's me."

"You're alive!" she squealed between choked sobs.

I snorted a laugh. "Indeed, I am."

"I thought…" She swallowed back another cry and pulled me close once more. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"I wasn't so sure, either," I admitted with a small grin. "But it seems Oz was on our side."

Glinda let out a wet laugh and stepped back, her features clouded with confusion. " But… At Kiamo Ko… The Witch Hunters… Morrible… The Gale Force… They killed you, Elphie! I heard you scream! H... How did you… What did you…?"

"It's a long story, Glin." I laughed. "One that I'm not sure I'll be able to explain all of in a single night." She took my hand and led me closer to the grove of trees, settling the both of us in the grass.

"Try?" she begged. "Please?"

I shrugged and gave her an indulgent smile. "All right. Well, for starters, Fiyero's alive."

Glinda's mouth dropped open. "Fifi is… Wait, what? Bu- But how is that even possible? That day, in the corn fields…"

"I told you, it's complicated."

Glinda huffed. "Can you uncomplicate it? Please?"

I frowned, thinking of the best way to explain. "Well… I still had the Grimmerie at the time, of course. So soon as I found sanctuary after leaving the cornfields, I searched through every page in the book to try and find a way to save him. But I was panicked, and grieving, and guilt ridden over Nessa's death…"

Glinda winced and wrapped her hand around mine. "I'm so sorry I ever had any part in that, Elphie," she sniffed.

I leaned over and wiped a lone tear away as it ran down her cheek. " All is forgiven, Glin. It's in the past. And besides, if anyone should be saying they're sorry right now, it's me."

"What? But… You didn't…."

"I put you through so much over the last three years, and really, every day since I flew through that stupid attic window. If there was anything I can do to get that time back… I would do it in a heartbeat."

"Oh, Elphie, don't blame yourself for that. You helped so many Animals working with the Resistance… As much as I missed you, I wouldn't ask you to give that up for anything."

"Really?" The word caught in my throat.

"Of course not! I only wish I'd had the courage to come with you."

I let out a long breath. "Glinda… That life… I missed you terribly, but I'm glad you didn't come. You deserve so much more than living like a wanted fugitive."

"But I-"

"No buts." I held up my finger to cut her off. "it's in the past, remember? It doesn't matter any longer.

"But, El-"

" Would You like me to finish the rest of the story, or not."

Glinda clamped her mouth shut and nodded.

"All right. So, anyway, the only spell I could find was something called Ellika Namen. I'm still not sure what it meant, but it looked like the closest thing to an invincibility spell that I would come by. Sure enough, I cast it and Fiyero didn't die, but in exchange, he was turned into-"

Glinda gasped, and I knew from the gleam in her eye that she had figured it out. "The Scarecrow?"

I nodded.

Dorothy's Scarecrow? The one who… Who said he didn't think he had a brain?

"Yep." We both laughed then, because the reasoning was the perfect way for Fiyero to gain access to the Emerald City to search for me, and so much like his college self that it was still hard to wrap our heads around, even mine.

"All this time… " she marveled. "And he was right under my nose."

"And, I regret to say, so was I."

"What? Wha… What do you mean?"

"That letter Chistery brought me? It was about Fiyero all right, but it was also from him. He told me he was on his way to the castle, and if everything went according to plan, he'd be there in about a day's time."

"But that was… Right after you read the letter… You said…"

"That I was going to surrender, I know. Yero showed me a tunnel system beneath the palace. And since nearly everyone in Oz thought I was allergic to water…"

"You set the bucket up where you knew Dorothy could reach it and pretended to melt when she threw it on you."

"And in reality I used magic to disappear into the tunnels."

"Oh, my, Oz…"

"The Hunter's still got a good beating in though. I broke a leg, three ribs, and had a concussion by the time Yero found me."

"That's horrible!" Glinda exclaimed, her features pained. But then she brightened. "But you got away."

"We did." I smiled back at her until she grunted and whacked my arm. "Ow!"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, Elphaba Thropp?! I spent three years thinking you were lost to me forever! Did you plan to keep me in the dark this long? Did you ever intend for me to find out?"

"Of course we planned to tell you, Glin! In fact I wanted to tell you as soon as Fiyero liberated me!"

"So why didn't you?" she fumed. "Three years of misery, Elphie!"

"I know," I whispered, looking down at my lap. "And I can't tell you how sorry I am for that. But…" I sighed and turned my palms up, wondering if there was ever a way I could possibly make her understand. "It was just too dangerous... For all of us."

Glinda simply scoffed, shifting away from me.

"Think of all the chaos that would've been caused had I done that," I implored. "So much had happened already, and you're reign had just begun. I didn't want to ruin it for you."

"You wouldn't have ruined it," she protested.

I simply raised a brow "Are you so sure about that?"

"Well I-"

"Trust me. It's better this way."

"Better?" She spat, swiveling to face me. Her eyes flashed and they were shining with unshed tears. "Better for whom, Elphie? For you and Fifi, who have to live the rest if your lives in hiding because of ridiculous rumors?"

"I cringed at the bite in her words. "Well, no…"

"Better for me, stuck here, keeping up appearances and painting my best friend in the world as some vile, hated villain?"

"Of course not!" I shot back, but the sickening feeling in my gut returned with a vengeance. I had thought I was keeping her safe, disappearing as I had. But, as the old saying warns, no good deed goes unpunished. It seemed no matter what I did, I couldn't stop my actions from hurting those I cared the most about.

"Then who? Who in all of Oz is better of for this whole damned situation?"

I slumped down, at a loss for what to say next. "I came back to apologize, Glin," I rasped out as a stifling silence settled between us. "I'm truly, truly sorry for all the suffering I've caused you, and better was probably the wrong word to choose, but it has to be this way. For the good of everyone involved."

"I don't believe that, Elphaba," she retorted, and I was awed by the determination in her voice. "There has to be something else we can do. You and Fifi deserve your lives back."

At that, a soft, wistful smile graced my face. "We have a life, Glinda. A wonderful life, far from Oz and it's misgivings."

"You do?" she asked. She was trying to sound happy for me, but I could tell by the way her lip wobbled, that a tiny piece of her had died when I said that.

"We do. In fact," I looked passed her and nodded toward the grove of trees. One of the reasons I asked you do meet me tonight, was so you would have a chance to say hello to your goddaughter."

"My god…" I watched with a satisfied smirk as her blue eyes widened and a beaming smile burst forth on her face. "You mean… You're a…?

"Hello, Glinda." At just that moment, Fiyero stepped out from between the trees, cradling a sleeping Azuera in his arms.

She whirled around to face him, unable to conceal her shock as she took in his new appearance. "Fifi? Is… Is that really you?" She wandered closer to him, tracing the pads of her fingers across his leathery face. I had managed to fade the spell enough to give him regular bone and muscle function again, but nothing cast from the Grimmerie could ever be fully reversed, so he still resembled a simple garden scarecrow.

"It's all right," he encourage, smiling at the hesitancy in her touch. "Touch; I don't mind."

"This is…" she murmured.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner, Glin, but I had to find Fae first."

Glinda snapped out of her trance, laughing lightly as she hugged him. "I'm just glad you're both alive."

"Me too." He smiled, stepping back and shifting our daughter in his arms. "Careful," he cautioned. "Don't wake her."

Glinda smiled so widely, I thought her face was going to crack. "Oh, Elphie… Fifi... " She leaned forward and ran a hand gently through Azuera's hair. "She's beautiful."

Fiyero grinned. "Glinda, meet your goddaughter, Azuera-Rose Arduenna Thropp-Tiggular." her eyes watered a bit at the pronouncement and she wrapped her arms around Fiyero's neck."

"You… You named her after me?"

"Of course we did, Glinda. I had to pay tribute to my oldest friend. And this way, she'll always know what you mean to me."

She sniffed and moved to hug me again. The orange rays of the rising sun cast a glow on her bouncing curls. "It's almost morning," she announced when we separated.

I twined her fingers in mine and smiled sadly. "So it is."

Glinda nibbled her lip and looked up at us. "Do… Do you really have to leave soon?"

Fiyero sighed and squeezed her shoulders apologetically. "We'll be back, Glin," he assured her. "That much, I can promise."

"And it won't take three years this time," I added.

Glinda tried for a brave smile. "It better not, you horrendible green thing," she chided, flicking my hat."

"And who knows," Yero smiled slyly. "Maybe one day, we'll be back for good."

My heart clenched at those words. And we'll be back for good someday, to make our lives and make our way. I wished more than anything that that could come true. The way Glinda's eyes brightened didn't help the situation either.

"Oh, Elphie! Could you?"

I glared at Fiyero, who shrugged and gave me a sheepish grin. "Glinda…" I paused, draping my arm around her shoulders. "I'd love to, but…" I held my hand out into the dawning light, it's distinctive hue brighter than ever. "I'm still green. I'd be recognizable from a mile away, and Oz only knows what would happen then."

Glinda pouted. "Well… What if we could find a way to disguise your skin. Would you come back then?"

I smiled, but shook my head. "I already looked, Glinda. There's not a spell out there that can cure this."

"But if there was? Would you try it?"

"Of course. You know I would, but-"

"Then i'll find one."

"Glin… I don't think…."

"You're my best friend, Elphaba. And I want you and Yero back in my life, no matter what." She tugged on my braid and gave a little wink. "Besides," she glanced lovingly at Azuera, "How eIse am I going to spoil my goddaughter?"

Fiyero and i laughed in tandem. "All right, Glinda." I agreed. "If you find a spell, give a letter to Chistery; he knows where to find me. I'll meet you back here, and if it works, we'll move to the Emerald City."

Glinda squealed and squeezed my waist. "Thank you, Elphie! I promise, we'll all be back together before you know it."

A hesitant, hopeful smile blossomed on my face at the mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Maybe so, Glinda," I said. "Maybe so."

We're just two friends. Two best friends. Sharing one wonderful, one short day.

* * *

 **The End**


End file.
